Finding beauty in our chaos

Feel better food

It’s almost 8 pm on a Tuesday evening, and the sun has already set. We’ve come to that time of year when much of our days are spent in darkness – fitting as it’s so cold that nothing is alive. My husband is out of town for a few weeks, and I’ve got two sick girls in the house. Knoephla soup is a good standby for an invalid meal, but so is chicken noodle soup. I can’t abide the limp, tastelessness of the canned versions, so I like to make my own. It’s a good thing to just make a big pot ahead of time and freeze some for those days when you’re sick and certainly not up to making anything. Of course, often when I’m under the weather, I’m perfectly satisfied with a cup of hot chicken broth, but when you’re a little more ambitious, a meal of chicken and noodles with its thickened broth does nicely.

This recipe I’d like to share with you is an adaptation of a recipe from The Pioneer Woman’s homemade chicken and noodles. She is ambitious in the making of her own broth with a whole chicken. I am not so. In my hectic, busy life I want the flavor without the time. So I came up with this shortcut version, if you will.

Saute the veg in a soup pot until beginning to soften. Add in your seasoning, and then stir in the flour. Cook for a minute or two to lose the raw flour taste, then pour in the stock. At this point, gently lay your chicken breast in the liquid and pour the noodles over top. Simmer this for about 20 minutes until the chicken is poached and the noodles cooked. Shred or chop your chicken (whichever’s easiest for you) and return to the pot. For a little extra, added creaminess, splash in a little half and half – though this is certainly not necessary.